MYSURU
Mining and quarrying have been suspended for a month with immediate effect in Chamarajanagar district. It will remain in place until the local authorities certify that the mineral extraction process is legal and complies with Government norms.
This was announced by Chamarajanagar district in-charge Minister V. Somanna after visiting the site of the stone quarry collapse at Madahalli, near Gundlupet, on Saturday.
The stone quarry collapsed around noon on Friday and a number of workers at the site were feared missing. The Minister confirmed that there were 24 workers, in all, at the site when the incident occurred. Of them, 21 have been accounted for while the State Disaster Response Force , Fire and Emergency personnel etc., were engaged in search and rescue operations at the site.
Attributing the incident to reckless quarrying without any regard to safety norms, Mr. Somanna said a special team, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, had been constituted and it would visit every mine, quarry and crushing site in the district to ascertain if there were any irregularities.
In case the units were functioning as per norms they would be allowed to continue with their activity, but until the authorities certified it to be so, mining, quarrying and crushing across the district would be suspended for a month, the Minister said.
Mr. Somanna said there were complaints of illegal quarrying. Though permission was issued for extraction in a plot of 1 acre the contractors tended to over-exploit and encroach upon the surrounding land and the committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, would crack down on such practices. The team would also include the Superintendent of Police and officials from the Department of Mines and Geology and others.
The decision of the Deputy Commissioner — as to which mine was legal and which was illegal — would be final and binding on all concerned, said Mr. Somnanna. When his attention was drawn to the illegal use of explosives to blast the mines, the Minister said the committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, would crack down on such practices as well.
